‘Conversations’ built around Warhol (EXCLUSIVE)

Artist Andy Warhol is at the center of “Conversations With Andy,” a new indie film from Narrator Entertainment that will star Ty Simpkins (“Insidious”), David Mazouz (“Touch”) and Willow Shields (“The Hunger Games”).

Rotimi Rainwater is writing and directing the period pic, which he’ll also produce with Ari Palitz of Narrator Entertainment, the same company that produced Rainwater’s debut feature “Sugar.”

Based on the true story of Palitz’s childhood, “Conversations With Andy” is a coming-of-age film set in 1984 New York that follows sixth-grader Ben (Simpkins), who befriends Andy Warhol at the same time that he learns his parents are discussing divorce. With the artist’s guidance, as well as the help of his older sister (Shields) and best friend (Mazouz), Ben hatches a plan to throw his parents an anniversary party in hopes of keeping them together.

WME’s Graham Taylor is handling financing for the film, which is skedded to start next spring, leaving producers plenty of time to cast their Warhol.

“I loved the idea of watching the dynamic of an 11-year-old boy who’s unaffected by Warhol’s fame, and how Warhol would react to it. It truly is the first time we’ll be able to see a unique version of Andy Warhol,” said Rainwater.

Simpkins made his feature debut in “War of the Worlds” and went on to star in “Insidious,” which grossed nearly $100 million worldwide. He recently wrapped “Iron Man 3″ and previously appeared alongside Kate Winslet in “Little Children” and “Revolutionary Road.”

Shields played Jennifer Lawrence’s younger sister Primrose Everdeen in “The Hunger Games” and will reprise her role in the sequel “Catching Fire,” directed by Francis Lawrence.

ICM Partners reps Simpkins and Shields, who is also repped by Principato-Young Entertainment.

Mazouz, who plays Kiefer Sutherland’s gifted son on the Fox series “Touch,” is repped by Paradigm and Magnolia Entertainment.